Yum-Yum Donuts Explained

Yum Yum Donut Shops, Inc.
Type:Private
Trade Name:Yum-Yum Donuts
Founder:Phillip C. Holland
Industry:Restaurants
Genre:Coffeehouse, Quick service
Products:Doughnuts, bakery items, sandwiches, coffee, teas
Owner:Watase family
Key People:Lincoln Watase (President)
Foundation:
Cypress Park, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Location:City of Industry, California, U.S.
Locations:71[1]
Subsid:Winchell's Donuts

Yum Yum Donut Shops, Inc., doing business as Yum-Yum Donuts, is an American donut shop chain based in California. As of 2021, there are 71 stores, all located in California.

History

Phillip C. Holland founded Yum Yum Donuts in 1971 in a former Orange Julius store. The original location, at Avenue 26 and Figueroa Street in the Cypress Park district of Los Angeles, California is still in operation. Holland met his future business partner, Frank Watase, when he put out a newspaper advertisement seeking a business manager for his first shop.[2] Holland expanded to three shops by 1973, sold half of the company to Watase, and together, they went on to open over 100 stores.[3] In 1989, Holland retired and sold his share of the company to Watase, who owned and operated the company with his son, Lincoln Watase.

In 2004 Yum-Yum Donuts bought Winchell's Donuts which opened 70 donuts shops ready for operation. As of 2019, there were 126 Winchell's and Yum-Yum Donuts shops in the greater Los Angeles area.[4] Yum-Yum Donuts is the largest chain of privately owned donut shops in the United States.[5] Both Yum-Yum Donuts and Winchell's are headquartered in the City of Industry, California.

Frank Watase died in September 2020[6] and, today, his son Lincoln Watase remains President of Yum-Yum Donuts.[7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Wotapka. Dawn. Yum Yum to Devour Winchell's Doughnuts. June 11, 2014. Los Angeles Times. August 13, 2004.
  2. News: 2019-07-10. How donuts fuelled the American Dream. The Economist. 2021-03-23. 0013-0613.
  3. Web site: Frank Watase Obituary (1924 - 2020) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times. 2021-03-19. www.legacy.com. en.
  4. News: 2019-07-10. How donuts fuelled the American Dream. The Economist. 2021-03-23. 0013-0613.
  5. Web site: 2014-11-11. Santa Clara University Receives $10 Million Gift and Leading Online Entrepreneurship Course Content to Create the My Own Business Institute and Expand Global Small Business Education Programs. 2021-03-23. www.businesswire.com. en.
  6. Web site: Frank Watase Obituary (1924 - 2020) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times. 2021-03-19. www.legacy.com. en.
  7. Web site: Lincoln Watase LinkedIn.